


Drive

by CD_Radio



Category: A Nightmare on Elm Street - All Media Types, Halloween Movies - All Media Types, Scream (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Normal Life, Friendship, Gen, Unseen friendship, also mentioned non-con, fair warning on that part, freddy and billy singing journey songs, freddy listens to Freeze your brain, mentions of 7-11, slurpees
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:20:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26324797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CD_Radio/pseuds/CD_Radio
Summary: Billy couldn't believe he was doing this.The twerp had come to him, practically begging him to drive him to his birth town. Apparently, he found out that he and his mom had lived there for up until the service took him away. There was still a chance that she would have stayed behind despite it being fourteen years since.
Relationships: Billy Loomis & Freddy Krueger, Implied Billy Loomis/Stu Macher/Michael Myers
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Drive

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this because of Levi who inspired me (go follow him on instagram, he's arcanicart there). I'm also aware of the foster care system in America (I am not American in any way, shape, or form) and yes, Freddy could have gotten his own information from the system or from other offices when he turned 16 but unfortunately he hasn't been aware of that yet even after his birthday so this was the result of that.
> 
> I couldn't wait for my beta to finish so I'm posting it now!

Billy couldn't believe he was doing this.

It would take them half an hour to get to Springwood, and they've been driving for a good two or three hours now. Well, not counting the gas stops they had to make because his old dodge would either make a concerning sound or the tires needed more air. Only once did they stop to get more gas, which Krueger had happily supplied the money for.

The twerp had come to him, practically begging him to drive him to his birth town. Apparently, he found out that he and his mom had lived there for up until the service took him away. There was still a chance that she would have stayed behind despite it being fourteen years since.

A waste of time, Billy thought. His mom was either dead or halfway there if child protective services had to pick the redhead up. 

Billy had flat out said no at first, unwilling to have someone he barely knows in his precious car, something he saved up for and took care of. He rarely let anyone even look bad at it and took offense if anyone trash talked it. 

But of course, red made an offer he couldn't really refuse. He'd owe not only Billy a favor but Michael and Stu as well. That meant if they needed him, he would drop  _everything_ to pay them back, no matter what the demand was. 

At least that was what Freddy had used as a sales pitch, and Billy fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

And so there they were, three hours away from Haddonfield and thirty minutes until Springwood.

The kid wasn't the worst passenger by any means. He didn't touch the radio, didn't put his feet on the dashboard or the seat, didn't play with the windows, or made any annoying sounds. In fact, he didn't make any sound at all; he was either silently looking out the window or looking down at the piece of paper he had in his hands. 

Upon closer inspection, Billy saw it what looked to be some sort of official file. Birth certificate, maybe? Or something from the services? Whatever, he didn't really care.

The drive was uneventful, the radio station wasn't playing anything interesting, and his passenger was pretty okay. That was until he saw the kid perk up in his peripherals.

"Stop." 

Billy raised a brow at that. 

That was the first word Freddy had spoken since they left.

"What?" he sneered, keeping his eyes on the road.

"There's a seven-eleven coming up, I can see it. Stop there…please?" There was a slight hesitation in that last word, but Billy scoffed, and he slowed the car when they got nearer to the infamous convenient store. 

Freddy didn't really expect Loomis to actually listen to him; he already begged the guy for a practically free ride (minus the favor and gas money). There'd be no reason for the older teen to stop when he asked. When Billy parked close to the entrance, Freddy was already halfway out, slamming the car door close as he did, ignoring Billy's frustrated shout of not doing that.

Seven-elevens were a weird fixation for Freddy, not that he would ever admit it. Every store he's ever been in was similar, a few differences but not really enough to turn him off from ever visiting one. Everything was the same through and through—the Slurpees, slushies, soda machines, the same linoleum tiles that never seem to be clean. 

He took his time browsing the aisles, marveling at how familiar the stocked items were from the last time he'd ever visited a branch. Gummy worms, chocolates, weird sour candies, and an aisle across that had toothbrushes, shaving kits, toilet paper. Freddy must have been taking too long for Billy's liking because the next time he looked up, Loomis was standing next to him, arms crossed and looking annoyed.

"You gonna buy something or what?" he asked, picking up a bag of sour gummy worms from the bottom shelf. "You better have more cash on you, I ain't buying you anything."

Cash. Right. Yeah. 

Freddy's hand patted his back pocket before pulling out an old, worn-out leather wallet. Checking inside, his eyes lit up. Gas wasn't cheap, but luckily he saved up for this trip, doing odd jobs in the neighborhood to get paid. Not many people were willing to hire a kid with almost zero experience and has a background of moving around.

He had two fives, three ones, and a fifty. 

Freddy did a little bounce and made his way to the cashier. He must have been really giddy, Billy guessed because the kid didn't even hesitate to slam money on the counter. Asking the girl behind the counter for the most oversized Slurpee cup they had. Of course, seeing the girl's reaction was hilarious. It's not every day that you had a red-haired, half-burnt teenage maniac come into your store and ask for a diabetes cup. 

What was surprising was seeing Freddy take two of them.

Billy shrugged and went to the counter when Freddy left, paying for his gummy worms.

He made his way to the back, opening his candy packet and popping a worm into his mouth, seeing the redhead finish filling up the first cup. Billy could bet that Freddy had been taking sneaky sips and refilling it when no one was looking. He could tell because Freddy did it right then when he thought he was alone.

"Jesus, Krueger. Slow down, we don't need you whining about a brain freeze." Billy spoke, mouth filled with the rest of the gummies.

"Mm!" Freddy finished the rest of what was in the first cup, swallowing with a bit of a struggle as the cold burnt his throat, the pain making it's way to his head, but he powered through. Putting the cup back under the nozzle, this time filling it up for good and putting the cover on it. Watermelon blast for him.

Billy thought he'd fill the second cup with the same flavor, but was taken back when Freddy tilted the empty container.

"What flavor?"

"What?" Billy blinked; the question caught him off guard.

"What flavor d'you want?" 

Freddy can understand the struggle of picking the perfect road trip Slurpee flavor. Holding the cup out patiently.

"It's okay, take your time." The more time they spent inside the convenient store, the more in his element Freddy felt. 

Seconds felt like hours as the older boy stared back, eyes moving back and forth from Freddy to the cup.

"Uh…blue- blue raspberry?" His eyebrows furrowed as Freddy nodded firmly.

"Good choice." Was all the redhead said before filling the cup. 

Billy was surprised, sure, but he wasn't going to say no to a free drink. He wasn't a fan of cold drinks, but it wasn't like he drank the sugary crap often to be disgusted by it. Seven-eleven was usually just a place Loomis could buy beer or a hangover cure. He'd never really thought about buying anything else or seeing the other junk in the store as attention-worthy. 

* * *

Soon he found himself sitting by one of the tables inside the store, sipping his drink slowly and holding a hotdog that Freddy had also bought him. Looking out the store as the kid beside him ate his own snacks. A family size bag of chips, a hotdog, a big cup of gulp, and the watermelon flavored Slurpee. 

Again, Billy wasn't going to turn down free food, but this was the first time he'd seen Krueger spend his money like there was no tomorrow. Hell, this was the first time he'd seen the kid act like an average teenager. 

He scoffed. He was one to talk, average teenager his ass. Billy had caused a lot more trouble when he was Freddy's age than any "normal" teenager should have. And they were like what, a year apart? Maybe two?

The sound had gotten Freddy's attention. Mouth full, he pushed the mush inside to his cheek before talking.

"What?" It was his turn to feel off guard. This store was a safe haven for him; he felt relaxed enough to forget that Billy was driving him back to his home town, and when it was all over, well, that was that. 

"Nothing, just…" Billy sucked his teeth, trying to think of the words to say. "You really like it here, huh?" It was kind of sad in the brunette's opinion. 

How low does your life have to be that a dingy store is the light of your life?

Still, his tone didn't seem to offend Freddy. In fact, it made those blue eyes light up. Like Krueger was about to lay down a secret he'd never told anyone. Okay, so Freddy would admit his weird fascination with the convenience store if asked, he can't really be blamed for that. Not many people cared about his interests anyway.

Plus, this was Billy Loomis. The guy who would instead burn a house than go trick or treating, the worse he could do was pick on him for it, but Freddy had a feeling that Billy wouldn't find it worth the time.

Swallowing down his food and washing it down with his soda and chasing it with a big sip of his Slurpee, which gave him that good brain freeze he missed so dearly, he shrugged.

"Yeah! I love seven eleven." Freddy's smile was genuine, stating his sentence like a question as if he couldn't fathom someone not liking the store. "It's the same in every town! From Echo Creek to Haddonfield…" 

"Echo Creek? That's like an entire day's drive away, where the fuck have you been doing?"

"Changing homes, going through ten high schools, and then moving after six weeks."

"Oh…"

Billy bit off a piece of his hot dog, not wanting to continue the awkward conversation. He wasn't the backstory feelings kind of fella, and this seemed like something that most people tend to keep to themselves. 

But apparently, Freddy wasn't like most people.

After finishing his snack in one quick bite, he continued. "Besides, since every seven eleven's the same, I can always trust it to have the Slurpee machine." Freddy smiled smugly, "You can say whatever you want about it, I'm still gonna think it's the best thing man has ever invented." With that, he gulped down the rest of his slushy drink, face scrunching as the pain in his head began. 

It hurt, yeah, but something about the pain made him feel normal, as strange as that may seem. It helps knowing that he was doing it to himself, knowing that he could stop, but the illusion of having control over what hurts you was what probably made him like it more. 

They only manage to get back on the road after Freddy got another Slurpee for the road. This time it was green apple burst. 

* * *

Their little impromptu stopover cost them some time. It was already dusk when the boys got back on the road.

The drive would have been the same as it was before. But, the small moment inside the convenient store had somehow managed to loosen the teens up, enough that Billy was actually letting Freddy play with his car radio. He turned the dial, trying to find something to listen to until-

- _Just a small-town girl_

_Livin' in a lonely world_

Freddy gasped as the song played, a happy twinkle in his eyes. 

_She took the midnight train goin' anywhere_ .

"Oh,  _fuck_ ! I love this song!" Maybe the pit stop loosened him a little too much; Billy was again taken aback by this. He didn't think Krueger could actually act like an average teenager with everyday interests. He was always closed off from him and his boyfriends, but then again, they weren't really close to begin with.

" _Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit!!!"_

Okay, Freddy's energy was contagious. Hearing him sing along (it was more of yelling) with the radio made Loomis laugh, unable to keep it in. He, too, ended up singing along.

" **_He took the midnight train goin' anywhere!_ ** "

And for the rest of the ride, they felt like they've made a connection. At one point, Billy even had Freddy try and drive the car. It didn't last long; the kid was a total spaz when it came to driving, panicking about small things like stop signs and green lights. It was hilarious and entertaining, not for Freddy, but for Billy.

After the second police car that they drove pass, Freddy was adamant that Billy take the wheel.

Neither felt like Freddy Krueger, the foster kid, or Billy Loomis, the problem child. They were just two teenage boys on a field trip, singing to high heavens and laughing at pedestrians.

The singing and laughing turned to them spitting rumors about the people in their school at each other, and it somehow ended with them talking about their friends.

The sky had already turned blue when they reached the Springwood sign. 

This was it, the moment of truth, time to hopefully meet Freddy's mother.

* * *

Springwood Library wasn't anything special. It was just that—a library. 

Billy and Freddy stood outside the sidewalk across from it, both boys staring at the old building. 

"Why, exactly, did we go to the library? Shouldn't we be looking for her address in the city hall or something?" Billy leaned on his car's door, crossing his arms. Something didn't feel right about this place.

He knew Haddonfield wasn't the happiest town in the world, but compared to Springwood, it might as well have been. Everything here seemed… _gray_ . Which wasn't something Billy was aware could be used to describe a place.

"The office might contact my service worker. Besides, if I know anything, the library's gonna have something about her." He gripped the paper in his pocket, "I-I know it's dumb, but I get the feeling that they would."

It was dumb. Freddy didn't really look into how to find his mom. It was a rush idea to go see her. The only thing he knew right now is that if the library didn't help, maybe the librarian would have something about her.

"You sure you want to do this?" Billy sounded uncharacteristically concerned. "I mean, they took you away for a reason, didn't they? What if she doesn't want to see you?" 

Harsh, but that might have been the case. Billy didn't know why he cared; Freddy would still owe him whether this went smoothly or not.

"I haven't seen her in _fourteen years,_ Loomis. I…" Freddy paused, his eyes started to shine. No, no, he wouldn't cry in front of anyone, let alone Billy Loomis. "-I don't even remember her as much anymore…"

"You were like what, two? How would you even know it was her?"

Freddy took his hand out of his pocket, handing Billy the paper he'd been holding the entire ride.

It was a photocopy of a bio-data with a woman's picture attached to the corner.

_Amanda Krueger_

"Did you steal this from the service?" Billy was surprised and slightly impressed. Though, most of her data was blacked out for some reason, such as her specific address and most of her personal data like other family members. 

"No, I found it in Mr. Myers' desk, after…after the funeral." 

"Why would he have it?" Billy returned the paper back to the redhead. "And why would he blackout a bunch of stuff?"

"I don't know. I just know Myers had it, and now it's here, with us, and it's my only ticket to see her again." Freddy's eyes lingered on his mother's picture as he spoke. 

He didn't remember her voice or how she was. Most people wouldn't be so affected by it, especially after being taken away at such a young age, but he was. He wanted to know if she ever thought of him. He wanted to know why she never reached out. 

"Wait here, I'll be out before you know it." 

* * *

Billy counted thirty minutes of people looking before Freddy got back to him. A bright smile on his freckled face as he jogged towards the older boy, his hand raised in the air, showing off a small strip of paper.

"Hey, I got her address!" He panted, there was an excited gleam in his eyes as he rounded the car to the passenger door. "Let's go!"

Billy couldn't help but grin; it felt like he was on a critical mission, and they were so close to the end. It was exciting but, at the same time, nerve-wracking.

* * *

"Elm street! This is it!" Freddy excitedly pointed at the sign that came up as Billy turned the corner. His body felt tingly, his hands were cold and clammy, but that didn't deter him from seeing his mom.

Would she like him? Would she welcome him with open arms? Would she remember him?

1426.

1427.

1428.

"There! That's the house! Fourteen twenty-eight!" 

Like before, Freddy was already out the door just as Billy pulled the car into a stop, but this time he stayed by the door, standing still. Billy got out himself just to see what was going on. He'd expected Freddy to be walking down the walkway by now and ringing the doorbell.

Crossing his arms for the umpteenth time this day and resting them on the car's hood. "What's up? You aren't gonna go and ring the doorbell?" He said jovially, trying to ease the mood.

Freddy suddenly felt the urge to run away. His body started to shake from the anxiety as he shuffled his feet. Would she yell at him? Would she scream at him for being there? What if she already had another family, and he was unwelcome? What if she really did give him away? What if he really was unwanted?

"I can't do this." His voice quivered as he looked helplessly at Billy. If he was scared before, he was terrified now; he looked ready to cry. 

"Yeah you can. You made it all the way to Springwood; the least you can do is make it all the way to the front door." There wasn't any venom in Billy's voice; in fact, he sounded encouraging. Pushing himself off the hood, he made his way over to the younger teen, putting his hand on the smaller's shoulder, on the side where he was unburnt. 

"Listen, Krueger, we drove for four hours and a half, and here we are at your mom's house. What's the worse that can happen?" Billy knew the answer to those, but he was trying to be supportive. Again, this all felt weird and new to both of them. 

The two never really got along in a way that they never had a chance to really hang out without anyone else with them. Together, they were in a town far away from their home, in front of what was basically a stranger. Sure the click of friendship was unexpected, but it was a welcome one. 

Billy just hoped Michael didn't take it too hard when they got back.

* * *

Freddy felt small as he stood before the large house's oak door, looking behind him where Billy stood, just a few feet away. He'd embarrassingly asked Billy to come with him, which the older agreed as long as he wasn't the one knocking on the door.

Billy raised his brows and looked at Freddy and the door, silently telling him to make a move.

With a deep breath, Freddy knocked on the door three times, maybe a little too hard as the sound was loud. He took a step back and waited.

He felt his heartbeat erratically as he heard shuffling from the other side. 

This was it. This was the moment Freddy will get to meet his mom.

When the door opened, it wasn't a redheaded woman who answered the door, but instead a lady with short brown hair and soft eyes. She seemed equally surprised to see him there.

"May I help you?" Her brown eyes looked back and forth between the two teenagers on her doorstep, hand on the doorknob, ready to shut the door when she felt she needed to.

"Uhm…I-is Amanda Krueger here?" God, Freddy wanted to die on the spot. What if they went to the wrong house? What if she didn't live here anymore and he was making a fool of himself? What if she  _did_ live here but didn't want him around? 

"Amanda…?" She seemed to be in a bit of a daze as if trying to remember something, but looked at him like she was trying to remember who  _he_ was. He opened his mouth and started apologizing for disturbing her, turning to leave.

"Fredrick?" She asked, getting both boys' attention.

"Fredrick Charles Krueger, is that you?" She smiled at him rather sweetly. Freddy turned his head to Billy, giving him a confused look before quickly turning back to the woman. 

"Y-yes, ma'am. D-" Freddy was cut off by the woman holding him by the shoulders, something Freddy didn't not like one bit. It wasn't a malicious hold perse, but just one he found uncomfortable when strangers did it.

"Oh would you look at that! You look so much like 'Mandy, you have her hair and her eyes!" 

Freddy could see her eyes turn glassy and the slight quiver of her voice. Maybe she and his mom were close?

"Come on in, I don't bite." She opened her door to them, beckoning both of them to enter. "Bring your friend in, too!"

Billy and Freddy shared a look. 

What's the worse that can happen?

* * *

Loretta, as she introduced herself as, had asked them to sit on the couch while she prepared tea for them. Not the worse drink in the world, not really either boys' first choice.

The inside of the house felt empty despite the clutter of dust and cardboard boxes in the halls and in the living room. Cobwebs covered the corners of the ceiling. The fireplace was engulfed by a concerning amount of soot. The carpet felt soft and mushy as if days of humidity and disuse had absorbed themselves in it. 

It didn't make sense for Freddy.

The librarian had told him that this was where his mom lived. Why did this place feel so barren? From the way the guy had spoken, Amanda seemed like a meticulous person; this was all wrong. 

Loretta snapped him out of his confusion when she placed a tray on the old coffee table before them; the tea set and biscuits' sight didn't make him feel any better. The woman took a seat to the adjacent armchair and grabbed her own cup after handing Billy and Freddy theirs.

"So, how can I help you, boys?" She smiled sweetly at them.

Freddy's hand shook as he held the fragile little mug.

"I-I'm looking for my mom? Amanda Krueger…" he spoke hesitantly, "Do you know where she is?" 

No need to beat around the bush, he and Loomis were gone for too long, and they didn't even tell anyone back home where they were going; people were going to get worried.

Billy can swear he saw Loretta's smile drop for a second before she took another sip. 

"You know, I haven't seen you in so long." Her happy demeanor had changed to something akin to melancholic. "You probably don't even remember me, or your mother." She was close to tears at this point, the kind where someone sounded like they were trying so hard to keep it together.

Loretta continued before Freddy can get a word in.

"Yes, yes. I remember you quite well. You were just a small little thing, just the size of a shoebox!" She laughed despite the unsettling joke she made, "Although, I don't seem to recall you so… what's the word…"

"Roasted?" Billy supplied, earning him an elbow to the ribs.

Loretta chuckled at that, placing her cup back on the tray. 

"I was going to say different, but yes. About your mother… she- I remember her quite fondly as well, such a sweet young woman. I'm afraid you're too late; however, her wake happened weeks before you got here."

Freddy froze. "Wake?"

"Oh,  _oh_ , they haven’t told you yet, have they?" Her tone made Freddy bristle; she sounded like she pitied him. He shook his head, dread already filling his gut. He didn't like where this was going.

Loretta took in a shaky breath, looking the red-haired teen in the eye. 

"Freddy, she's dead."

* * *

_She's dead._

_She died weeks ago._

_You were too late._

_Too late._

Freddy felt his throat constrict, his chest began to ache. He didn't like this feeling. He didn't like feeling like he couldn't breathe. Grasping the teacup, he began to sputter. His brain didn't seem to want to cooperate with his mouth. He couldn't form the words he wanted to say. He couldn't form words he was trying to think of.

"Fredrick, dear, are you alright?" Loretta gently placed her hand on his shoulder. 

It was a small touch, but it was enough to bring him back, even just a bit.

He could breathe again.

"You said you remembered her, right? You knew her?" Billy piped in; he knew that look on Freddy. It was the same one he's seen in Michael a few times before, and he knew that it'll take a while before Freddy came back from it. 

"Yes, we used to work together as nuns in the Hathaway House back when we were young." She recalled, "I left when she did, followed her here, to Elm Street." 

"Can you tell us more about her? I mean, we came all this way to see her…" Billy was taking in the reigns until Freddy was ready to talk; he didn't mind; this was getting interesting.

"As sad as it to say, there's not much I can tell you. Amanda had been a kind and loving woman, so compassionate- believed that everyone deserved a chance to show that they can be better. In short, she was a lovely woman. I dare say, not one worth their gold would talk badly about her." 

Billy raised his brow. "But?" he asked, feeling like there was more to this than she said.

Loretta looked at Freddy for a long time. Too long.

And when Freddy saw how she stared at him, he understood. 

"But, I came along…" He said, finishing what she wouldn't tell them.

"Now I didn't mean that-"

Freddy cut her off, "She didn't want me, did she."

It wasn't a question. No, it wasn't a question Kruger had to ponder anymore; the answer was right there, in the open.

"She tried her best." Loretta justified, trying to defend her old friend.

"For  _two years"_ Freddy didn't sound angry, but the venom in those words was unmistakable.

Loretta's mouth formed a thin line as she sat back, the two teens half expected her to kick them out right then and there. But when she didn't, Freddy continued.

"She tried her best for two years, and then she gave me away like I was  _nothing._ What? Was I a mistake? Is that it? She pranced around with someone and made a mistake?" Freddy was getting heated now, his voice rising in volume with each question he asked.

"Now listen here-" Loretta wagged her finger at him.

" _Why?"_ He spat back at her, lunging towards her only to be stopped by Billy, grabbing his arm. " _Why_ _didn't she want me!?_ "

" _Because you were an accident!_ "

Freddy was taken aback by the answer. Sure, he knew it, but it wasn't something people wanted to hear.

The older woman glared at him. "Amanda didn't plan you, but it wasn't as if she had a _choice_." 

The words she spoke hit all of them at once. 

"She didn't have a _choice_ , Fredrick. Those men- those _monsters_ took her by force, and for the next two years, she tried so hard to be a good mother despite _everything._ She had to take care of _you_ even when you reminded her of what happened. She held you, fed you, _sang to you for two damned years_ all while you reminded her of those- _those-_ " Loretta took a deep breath before she broke into a sob. "You have to understand, she _tried_ to love you. She really did." 

Freddy's body seemed to drop, his shoulders slumped, and his back slouched. Had it not been for him sitting down, he would have fallen to his knees at the information. What was he supposed to do with that? How was he supposed to react?

On the other hand, Billy felt like an intruder, someone in the sidelines who can do nothing but watch as two people mourn for a dead woman he had no connection to. It was like watching a car crash, it was horrible, but he couldn't look away.

"On your second birthday, I found you. All alone in the living room." She attempted to continue through the tears and grief. "You were so small, I doubt you can even recall, but I remember hearing the doctors say that you had cotton stuffing in your stomach." She gave a wet laugh.

"Imagine that she must have forgotten to feed you all day that you ended up eating the cotton of your teddy bear." 

She tried to compose herself, wiping away the tears and sniffling.

"I found her in the bathtub, it was a gruesome sight, the paramedics said she barely survived with the amount of blood she lost that day."

"…and that's when they took Freddy away." Billy put the last pieces together.

Loretta nodded grimly. "I came to visit her one day, just to see how she was doing and… there she was…" her eyes seemed dazed once again as if she were far, far away from them. "… hanging on the kitchen ceiling. There was no note. Police said she was dead for a while. Next thing I knew, she was being buried, and I was the only one there." Her voice was quiet, not soft, but quiet. 

"Did she talk about me? Did she ever wanted to see me?" There was hope in Freddy's voice that maybe, despite the way he was conceived, Amanda would have still loved him. The hope was quickly dashed when Loretta slowly shook her head, not even looking at him when she did.

"No, I don't think she did. After they took you away, she was institutionalized for a good handful of years, and when she came back, I-I thought she was doing so well." 

Billy knew they had to leave, Loretta seemed like she was going far away internally, and that didn't seem to be helpful for any of them. He stood up, picking Freddy up with him. 

"Where is she now?" Billy asked.

* * *

_Here lies Amanda Krueger. Mother, daughter, beloved friend. May her soul find peace in paradise._

Freddy stood before the gravestone, looking at it with a mix of resentment, sadness, and something that would just be easier to describe as empty. 

As the purple sky enveloped him and the cemetery's lights flickered on, he felt like understood that she didn't want him, not because he existed, but because of how he was made. It wasn't enough to make him feel less angry. The therapists he's been to had always said it was alright to feel bad even when you understood something.

He tried to imagine what it would be like if it never happened. Would she have kept him if he was made normally? Would she have raised him and cared about him like the mothers he's seen on t.v.? Would she love him like Mrs. Myers does now?

Mrs. Myers. 

Despite not being his real mother, she acted like one. Buying him clothes, making sure he was alright, defending him when she heard someone talk wrong about him. She genuinely did seem to care about him and his well-being. He was brought back to when he was in the hospital after the incident; he'd woken up with her sleeping by his side. Apparently, she'd been by his side since he was admitted.

He wasn't completely ready to call her his mom yet, that would take some time, but knowing what he knew now, Amanda Krueger wasn't someone he had a real connection with either. 

_She tried to love you._

It'll be a while before he'd be alright with… everything he found out today, but that's alright. He was sixteen, after all, he still had plenty of time to work on that. 

* * *

Billy watched from the safety of his car seat as Freddy made his way back to the dodge. 

* * *

The drive home was silent like it had been before, only this silence was heavy. 

Sure, he knew Freddy didn't get the closure he was looking for, but that didn't mean that he'd let the kid wallow alone. 

A light bulb lit up in his brain as he saw the seven eleven from before appear. Nothing wrong with a quick pit stop before going back to Haddonfield; he'll just buy something for Michael and Stu to apologize for being gone for too long. He turned the car to a u-turn and smirked as he saw that Freddy sit up straighter in his seat in his peripherals.

He'll be fine, Loomis thought.

Billy only really got to know the kid that day, but he'd swear that if anyone messed with Freddy, he'd be there to help him kick their ass.

It was safe to say that they made a friendship somewhere along the way, on their little field trip to Springwood.


End file.
